Car-coupling



J. RIDENOR.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented May 18, 1884.

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JOHN RIDFNOUR, OF MOUNT VERNON, INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,406, dated May 13,1884-.

Application filed March 10, 1884. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J onN RIDENOUR, a citizen of the United States,residing at- Mount Vernon, in the county of Posey and State ofIndiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Couplers, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in car-couplers, and has for itsobjects to furnish a coupling in which the ordinary link in general usemay be employed and be kept in a horizontal position, and the couplingbe effected automatically when the cars are run together without thenecessity of any person going between the cars either for that purposeor to uncouple their). These objects are attained by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying` drawings, forming a part of thisspecication, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal section of thedraw-head on the line x w of Fig. 3. Fig. 2

is a transverse section of the draw-head on the line fr x of Fig. l.Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the frontendof bolt I. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of one side of the bolt I. Fig. 6is an enlarged view of the lever F, and shows the cap C and arm C', (insectiom) and the upper part of the coupling-pin D, the lower part beingbroken away.

The letters A A' indicate the draw-head, which is composed of fiveseparate pieces-viz., the upper part, A, and lower part, A', which areconnected to each other by suitable bolts, A", also the three shortblocks b b', which reduce the size of the opening in the front end ofthe draw-head, as shown in Fig. 3. The

blocks b fit up against the parts M' of the T- shaped piece M, and servethe purpose of guides, as hereinafter described.

Bis an attachment, about twelve inches high, secured to the front end ofthe draw-head by screws or bolts f, and has a cap, C, attached to itstop by screws e. This cap has an opening for the passage of thecoupling-pin D,and a forked arm, C', extending in an upward direction atan angle of about forty-ve degrees. This arm C' is provided withsuitable openings for the passage of a bolt, E", which extends through aslot, F', in a lever, F, one end of which is forked and pivotallyconnected to the upper end of the coupling-pin D, which may be raised bypressing upon the outer end of the lever F in a downward direction. Theslot F' is cut at an angle to the axis of the lever F, and thisconstruction enables the lever F to be pivoted directly to the pin D,(by the, bolt 13,) whereby cords, chains, or connecting-links aredispensed with, as a slot placed in this manner in the lever permits thecoupling-pin to be raised and lowered thereby without binding againstthe walls of the opening in the cap O or at any other point below. Thecoupling-pin extends through a passage in the attachment B, and isprovided with a spiral spring, G, which surrounds it. This spring at thetop bears against the bottom of the cap C, and at the bottom bearsagainst the shoulders D', so that when the pin is raised a certainheight the spring G has a tendency to force it in a downward direction.The lower part of the pin D extends through" an opening in the bottom ofthe draw-head, and the shoulders D rest upon the top of.r the link H,when the cars are coupled. f The draw-head is provided 'with asquare-headed plunger or bolt, I, to

which is attached, by ascrew, m, la guideblock, M, adapted to t intoguide-openings 7c, which are located on each side and abovev theenlarged opening K in the draw-head. The remainder of this bolt I isreduced in size, I', and is preferably of rounded form, and is adaptedto fit into an opening, K', of corresponding form. A spiral spring, L,encircles the part I'of bolt I and presses it in an outward direction,whereby the head of the bolt I is maintained in a position to supportthe pin D whenever the cars are uncoupled and the link H has beenremoved from the draw-head 5 but when the link is in the proper positionto couple with the next car` and the pin D is down, the bolt I bearsagainst the end of the link H, and maintains it in a horizontalposition, and ready to couple with the next car, without any one beingobliged to go between the cars for that purpose.

Having described my invention,what I desire to secure by Letters Patent,and claim, is-

l. In a car-coupler, the draw-head A A', having blocks b b' and openingsK K' K" la k, in combination with bolt I I', having guide- IOO block Mand spiral spring L, as described,and having spring G and shoulders D',adapted to 1o for the purposes set forth.

rest upon the link H, as described, and for 2. In a car-coupler, adraw-head composed the purposes set forth.

of upper and lower pieces, A A', and blocks 5 Z b', an attachment, B,secured to the top thereof by bolts f, having attached thereto by screwse a cap, C, having a forked arm, C', in 'combination with the lever F,having a slot, F', a bolt, E, a bolt, E, and coupling-pin D,

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence o f two witnesses.

' JOHN RIDENOUR. Witnesses:

HENRY SCHIELA, JOHN LEUNIG.

